Data connections for cellular communications are in transition from Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) standards, colloquially known as 3G, to Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards, colloquially known as 4G. LTE generally offers a greater maximum throughput and lower latency for data transmissions. However, current LTE implementations incur significant energy costs for transmissions, leading to poor battery life for mobile LTE devices. While dual-band devices can switch between LTE and WCDMA, the device trades off either battery life or data transfer speed.
Wireless devices connecting to a WCDMA radio access network fall in to one of the following states: Cell-DCH, Cell-FACH, Cell/URA-PCH or Idle. The wireless device is in either Cell-DCH or Cell-FACH states when participating in an active data session (e.g., actively transmitting or receiving data via a network). These two states are high power consuming states, as the wireless device should keep its transmitter and receiver on while in these states in anticipation of transmitting or receiving data. Thus, whenever the wireless device is done transmitting/receiving data, the network operator typically moves the wireless device to one of the low power consuming states like Cell/URA-PCH or idle. The network operator may do this either based on a timer or upon receiving a signaling connection release indication (SCRI) message from the wireless device. This mechanism to release the signaling and radio resources on network and user side and moving the wireless device to low power consuming state is called fast dormancy. The network operator usually has control over the timer value and also the decision to release the connection upon receiving a SCRI message from the wireless device. Network operators are very careful with fast dormancy because any misuse by user devices can result in significant signaling traffic on network. SCRI is a feature of the CDMA and WCDMA wireless standards, but the faster LTE standard does not provide for such functionality, further exacerbating the problem of energy consumption for LTE devices.